NEIL YOUNG @ THE PALACE THEATRE, 5/18/10

by Michael Eck
Special to The Times Union
ALBANY – Neil Young didn’t say much.
And when he did speak, it was cryptic and weird.
“It’s amazing how they’re all exactly the same,” he said late in his concert at The Palace Theatre on Tuesday night. “It’s the same song over and over again.”
Young actually opened his “Twisted Road” tour in town on Tuesday, with one of his personal heroes, British guitarist Bert Jansch, on tap as opening act.
Young’s repertoire may have woven in and out of itself — crunching electric power chords, gentle acoustic suspensions and bittersweet vocalizations rubbing up against each other — but the songs certainly weren’t all the same.
Many were new, with the sold out crowd presumably grabbing bragging rights to the first public airing of tunes aimed at Young’s deceased father, his young granddaughter and, naturally his fans.
“Well folks,” he said, before leaning into an unfamiliar rendition of the familiar “Cortez the Killer,” I don’t know where these songs come from. I think they come from you, but that’s me.”
Young was playing solo at the Palace, but it was far from an acoustic show.
As often as not he strapped on his faithful black Gibson Les Paul or the Gretsch White Falcon from his Buffalo Springfield days. And even when he did don an acoustic, it was often processed.
He also played songs on a trio of keyboards placed around the stage.
One of Young’s finest qualities is that he’s not afraid to fall on his own sword.
“Down By The River,” for example, featured a quiet verse, loud chorus routine that already seemed dated at New York CIty Anti-Folk clubs last decade. And his first encore — a new tune possibly titled “Walk With Me” — seemed like an Open Mic mess, with out of tune guitar and flat singing.
But just as often the evening flirted with brilliance, and on the whole was one of the most satisfying and challenging shows the artist has offered in the region.
Classics like “Cinnamon Girl,” “After The Goldrush” (on pump organ) and “Ohio” satisfied the casual fans who confused themselves with the faithful, while the real diehards thrilled to the new material, including “Sign of Love” and a Jansch-like swirl with cowboy lyrics.
Young also offered the rambling autobiographical sketch, “Hitchhiker,” which remains one his most powerful, if obscure songs. It was one of the evening’s purest highlights, as was the alternately funny and poignant “You’re In Heaven, We’re Working.”
Young had the stage decorated in typical oddball fashion, including remnants like the cigar store Indian from his “Tonight’s The Night” days. Four columns at the rear of the stage were occasionally bathed in swatches of blue and green, giving a church-like feel to the performance.
It seemed appropriate, Young was preaching to the converted. And how.
Jansch — despite a constant buzz of chatter during his set — was well-received by the sold-out throng, many of whom appreciated his subtle, but legendary playing.
Jansch dazzled with “Katie Cruel,” a traditional number from his earliest days, and he paid tribute to Jackson C. Frank with a lovely reading of “My Name Is Carnival.”
Surprisingly, Jansch and Young did not perform together. Perhaps that’s a treat reserved for further down the twisted road.

NEIL YOUNG
with Bert Jansch
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Palace Theatre, 19 Clinton Avenue, Albany
Length: Young, 100 minutes; Jansch, 40 minutes
Highlights: The harrowing “Hitchhiker” and Jansch’s rendition of “My Name Is Carnival.”
The crowd: Sold-out, often chatty, but clearly dedicated to Young (if not so much to Jasnch).